“The music coming from inside sounded like robots fucking. And complaining about it. In rhythmic monotone. European robots.”

“People worried about our passing over into some robotic state, but we were so much like robots already, programmed and easy to manipulate.”

“The Three Laws of Robotics:1: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm;2: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law;3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law;The Zeroth Law: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.”

“Robots are important also. If I don my pure-scientist hat, I would say just send robots; I'll stay down here and get the data. But nobody's ever given a parade for a robot. Nobody's ever named a high school after a robot. So when I don my public-educator hat, I have to recognize the elements of exploration that excite people. It's not only the discoveries and the beautiful photos that come down from the heavens; it's the vicarious participation in discovery itself.”

“Unfortunately robots capable of manufacturing robots do not exist. That would be the philosopher's stone, the squaring of the circle.”

“Oh you know me. I have no emotions. I'm a robot. Or a nun. A robot nun.”